United States

I think it would help greatly if there was government funding for musicians ... but i'm thinking more so on the lines of a "business loan" idea. A kind of a "Budget Kit startup fee".

Maybe they can affix some kind of pre-equisite to the load application to prevent every wannabe from applying .... such as ... you need 25 GIGs completed to apply .... or 100 sold CDs .... or something else crazy lol.

I wouldn't see it as the government holding your hand ...... as its not viewed this way when the governement funds a small business... or allows a student's loan. So why would it be considered "hand holding" by the government if there was a government organized "musicians fund" as well?

That's not such a bad idea.

Don't misunderstand... I don't think it's a bad idea to support the arts. I just don't feel that it's the government's place. I'd like to see the smallest government humanly possible. Basically, a government who doesn't screw with you until you infringe on someone else's rights.

I hate to break this to you, but the USA is partially socialist and has always been so.

welllll, I'll agree we have areas that lean that way fer sure..

But, not sure if we've always been thataway.
I think in smaller times, there were smaller more community oriented organizations that helped the less able..with regard to welfare, etc

Anywhoo...
Hey let's talk about more exciting stuff...like..the RedSox!!!!!

2-1 whoohoo!


2 down....

I think in smaller times, there were smaller more community oriented organizations that helped the less able..with regard to welfare, etc....

Yeah, there were. But we're now a technocracy of 350 million people. So you can say that socialism is a natural contingent of exploding populations (let's see the rightwingers who are against birth control and abortion wrap their minds around that little ditty...).

But without getting too far from the thread, I think Cally had some good points and ones that can certainly be echoed by folks who have experienced the music scene outside of the US. We can always learn a few things. It makes our nation better.

What good is a loan ... if you can't repay it. What is needed is places to play that pay !!!!

I think what the OP was stating was that the EU funds venues to pay at. We have the same thing in parts of BC, Canada. Gov funds "Music in the Park" in many cities, during the summer months, with a outdoor band shell. It works great for all.

1-Bands get PAID and this allows them to tour to other towns for better exposure so they can develop a fan base.

2-Band have a different venue to play in other that a bar or club ... where the audience is there for one thing "to listen and enjoy the music being preformed by a live band"

2-The community has a bi-weekly chance to get out a hear different types of music and this is generally very well supported by all age groups of the community.

It's a win win for everybody ... sound is supplied by the city and the band can make up to $600 depending on how many are in the band ... not bad for 2 hrs work.
Ron

Big difference in Canadian govt. and our crappy American govt.

I can tell peoples' eyes are bulging, but our govt is #1 in cover ups and starting wars that cannot be won/should have never been started to begin with.

I don't think they would do the same type of good work, someone would want to tax the sh*t out of it and make you lick it up before they were through.

No, f**k the legislation.

Prevost thanks for posting that info. That is an awesome program they have. There are a few things I'd sure like to adopt from Canada, and that is one.

They can keep their weather, though.

I can tell peoples' eyes are bulging, but our govt is #1 in cover ups and starting wars that cannot be won/should have never been started to begin with....<snip>.

HIGH FRIGGIN FIVE!

LOL You just know Roswell was a big ass cover up "for our own good".

( BELLCCHHH ) f**k that noise.

getting OT maybe...

but gents, IMHO you need to dig deeper in to a society before you speak for them.
Canada, while being high on my list of cool, mainly because of 1) Rush 2) the cheap land you can buy...isn't exactly a nation of major prosperity and glee.

I work in healthcare.
Their system is riddled like so many lbs of Swiss cheese with corruption...misuse of centralized funding...disgruntled & frustrated clinicians etc etc

You really can't make a judgment in the short term.
Let's wait 50 more years & revisit whether or not Canada has it over on us in the area of compulsory redistribution of wealth & socialized healthcare & if it's a good thing or not.

I know this isn't going to make me anymore popular with the socialists here, but if Europe is so great, why the f**k aren't you there? Seriously... All of you brilliant international musicians should have just stayed there if it's so superior.

And FYI... If you don't suck, you will get paid. That's called capitalism. It's really not appropriate for the government to spend my money supporting your f**k hobby.

2 sides to everything..

Someone told me that had to wait 6 weeks to get a MRI in Canada.

Solution: Get MRI in the states.

A friend had chronic snoring, the US wanted to charge an arm and a leg to work on his soft palate.

Solution: He is a dual citizenship and had the whole procedure done for free in Canada.

No case is ever perfect, but it helps to live close to Socialized Medicine.

2 sides to everything..

Someone told me that had to wait 6 weeks to get a MRI in Canada.

Solution: Get MRI in the states.

A friend had chronic snoring, the US wanted to charge an arm and a leg to work on his soft palate.

Solution: He is a dual citizenship and had the whole procedure done for free in Canada.

No case is ever perfect, but it helps to live close to Socialized Medicine.

But if America switches to socialized medicine, where will people go when it doesn't work?

Now that this entire conversation seems to have become about healthcare, why would someone spend the time and money to go through years of medical school if they are unlikely to recoup their money and make a good living at it? America has some of the best doctors in the world because they can make money here. That's why you don't hear of a large number of people leaving America to get medical treatment. There are, however, many people coming to American for medical treatment.

I know this isn't going to make me anymore popular with the socialists here, but if Europe is so great, why the f**k aren't you there? Seriously... All of you brilliant international musicians should have just stayed there if it's so superior.

And FYI... If you don't suck, you will get paid. That's called capitalism. It's really not appropriate for the government to spend my money supporting your f**k hobby.

LOL! Oh beauuuutiful..."love it or leave it". Archie Bunker mentality.

Why am I not surprised?

Hey Einstein...some of us can appreciate other places while still preferring to live here, and hell...maybe improve home a little bit in the meantime. Is that another thing thats flown over your noggin?

And by the way, "whether you suck or not" has nothing to do with the reason for the NEA. Because the market was determining "suckage", while pioneering artists who didnt fit market demand were getting lost in the melee - that was the reason the NEA was founded.

Did you EVER crack a book?

That's why you don't hear of a large number of people leaving America to get medical treatment. There are, however, many people coming to American for medical treatment.

Holy sh*t, do you even live on the same planet as us? People are going across BOTH borders all the time to get health care/dental care! My wife (Polish born) lived for 25 years in Canada and she told me that Americans were always coming over to buy cheaper drugs, etc. When I lived on the border lands of New Mexico, I can tell you there was a steady stream of Americans heading to Ciudad Juarez every weekend to get their teeth fixed or to buy cheap drugs.

HINT...READ A NEWSPAPER every once in a while.

Did I write that?

I didn't think I wrote that. ( I just checked, I didn't write that. Come the f**k on, get it straight if you are to quote me )

I don't go to doctor's, that's maybe why I don't know.

I know my mother went to an orthopedist and they charged her 900$ for a bunch of crap that didn't even work.

As for the chap that made the remark about dr's going to school. Watch your mouth, i know of a few dr's that are a phony as the day is long.

Dr's don't study because they want to be a healer, they study to get the almighty paycheck. (they should have been bankers)